Uterine evacuator



April 14, 1970 w. c. MURR UTERINE EVACUATOR I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29, 1968 INVENTOR. WILL/AM C. MURR ATTORNEY April 14, 1970 w. c. MURR UTERINE EVACUATOR 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1968 INVENTOR. W/LL/AM C. MURR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,506,010 UTERINE EVACUATOR William C. Murr, Piedmont, Calif assignor to Berkeley Tonometer Company, Berkeley, Calif. Filed Jan. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 701,313 Int. Cl. A61m 1/00 US. Cl. 128276 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for evacuating the Walls of the uterus as an alternative to curettage is provided. A tip is inserted through the dilated cervix. The anterior of said tip is disposed at about a 15 degree angle to the proximal. The outer end of the anterior is formed with a fiat opening disposed at approximately 23 degrees to the axis of the anterior. The opening in the tip is thus disposed approximately tangent to the anterior, posterior and lateral walls of the uterus for a large portion of its surface area, By rotating the tip about the axis of the proximal portion and gradually withdrawing the tip from its fully projected position, the opening in the tip traverses the surface area described. The extreme end of the tip is curved and is tangent to the axis of the proximal portion. Furthermore, the extreme outer edge of the opening in the tip is curved inwardly and thickened. Accordingly, the danger of puncturing the top of the cavity is reduced. A pump is provided to draw a vacuum through the tip which is sufficiently strong for the purpose intended. Means is provided to trap material evacuated for inspection or for subsequent analysis.

This invention relates to a new and improved tip for a uterine evacuator and for equipment used in conjunction therewith,

A principal purpose of the present invention is to provide a tip formed with an opening so disposed that by proper manipulation of the tip, substantially the entire surface area of the uterine cavity with the exception of the top is subjected to a vacuum.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a tip which is constructed in such manner that puncture of the top of the cavity under normal conditions of use and skill is not likely.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of an improved vacuum apparatus which effectively removes desired matter without the danger inherent in the use of ordinary curettes.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view through the uterus showing the tip in position of use,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tip.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partially sectional view of the anterior end of the tip.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the opening of the tip viewed substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the vacuum pump system used with the tip.

Referring to FIG. 1, a section through the uterus and surrounding organs is shown. The cavity 11 widens out towards the top, but at the posterior wall 12 and lateral walls 13 (as well as the anterior wall which has been cut away in the sectional view) is approximately conical. The evacuation of these walls and the area below the top 14 3,500,010 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 "ice is particularly important, Prior to the operation, the cervix 16 has been dilated by instruments forming no part of the present invention and the depth and position of the cavity 11 has been tested by other instruments forming no part of the present invention. Preferably, a clamp 17 or similar instrument is attached to the cervix 16 to hold it in position during the operation. The tip 18 is formed of styrene or other suitable material. The proximal end 19 is round, thin-walled tubing. A tapered collar 21 is formed on one end of portion 19 for attachment of vacuum tubing. A plurality of rings 21 are formed on the inner surface of the tube and, since the tubing is preferably transparent, are visible from the exterior. Such rings may be marked with numbers to indicate the distance from the extreme anterior of the tip. Hence, the depth of the cavity 11 has been measured and such measurement is used to limit the distance which the tip is inserted in the cervix to avoid puncturing the top 14 and yet to insure that the tip is fully inserted. A marker 23 is formed near the collar 21 to enable the user to determine the angular position of the tip and to insure that it has been fully rotated on the inside of the cavity.

The anterior portion 24 is disposed at an angle to the proximal 19 of about 15 degrees, this being the slope of the sides of the cavity 11. The end of anterior portion 24 is formed with an opening 26 and the edges 27 of said opening are disposed at an angle of about 23 degrees relative to the axis of portion 24. A protective beading 28 is formed on the extreme upper edge of the opening 26, and it will be noted that the end 29 is tangent to a line perpendicular to the axis of the proximal portion 19. Hence, the end wall 29 is blunt and does not tend to puncture the top 14 of the cavity 11 if the tip is inserted improperly.

As is best shown in FIG. 1 the edges of opening 26 are tangent to the walls of the cavity 11. The area where the tip is located in FIG. 1 and thence upwardly toward the top 14 are the most critical for proper evacuation and during all of the traversing of such areas, the walls 17 of the opening '26 are tangent. Merely by rotating the proximal end 19 about its axis as is indicated by pointer 23, a swath around the lateral, posterior and anterior walls is formed. The first such swath is preferably made when the tip is fully inserted so that it is adjacent but not touching the top 14. The tip is then withdrawn a short distance and again rotated, forming a. second swath parallel to the first. The operation is repeated until the entire surface of the cavity 11 with the exception of the top 14 has been traversed. A separate instrument is used for the top surface 14.

As shown in FIG. 4, the opening 26 when viewed in the plane thereof, is roughly an elipse. The radii of the outer wall R1 and inner wall R2 are drawn from a common center. The protective beading is formed by an enlargement indicated by its radius R3 drawn about a center slightly inward from the common center of R1 and R2. It will be understood that the edges 27 of the opening 26 are round and smooth, but the protective beading 28 and the tangency of the extreme end 29 are of particular importance in safety of use of the device.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a cabinet 31 is provided which houses vacuum pump 32 driven by motor 33. A plurality of transparent jars 35, 35a are used alternately. Lids 46 are suitably apertured for tube connections and are held in place by clamp 47. The forward jar 35 is shown in use, being connected to collar 21 of tip 18 by tubing 37. Within jar 35 is a gauze sleeve which traps matter evacuated by tip 18., Jar 35 (or jar 35a, when in use) is connected by tubing 34 to jar 40 inside the cabinet and this, in turn, is connected by tubing 36 to pump 32. Control 41 governs valve 42 so that the operator can efiectively control the pressure at tip 18.

What is claimed is:

1. A tip for a uterine evacuator comprising a body formed of thin-walled tubing and susbtantially circular in cross-section throughout most of its length, said tip having a proximal and an anterior end, said proximal end disposed at an obtuse angle relative to said anterior end, said proximal end formed with means for attachment to vacuum tubing, said anterior end being blunt and formed with a side opening inward of said blunt end, said side opening formed with a protective beading along its outer margin, said margin of said opening 'being substantially co-planar and the plane of said margin disposed at an acute angle relative to the axis of said anterior end, whereby upon insertion of said anterior end into the uterus with said proximal end through the cervix the plane of said opening lies contacting the uterine walls in the area spaced immediately downward from the top of the uterus and upon rotation of said proximal end With the cervix said opening traverses a swath of both lateral and the posterior and anterior walls of the upper end of the uterine cavity.

2. A tip according to claim 1, in which said beading along the forward margin of said opening bends inward relative to the forward end of said tip.

3. A tip according to claim 1 in which said plane lies approximately at a 23 angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said anterior end.

4. A tip according to claim 3 in which the axis of said proximal end lies approximately 165 relative to the axis of said anterior end.

5. A tip according to claim 1 in which said body is of transparent plastic, the interior of said proximal end formed with transverse rings at uniformly spaced distances from each other to indicate the distance of protrusion of said tip into the uterus.

6. A tip according to claim 5 in which said proximal end is formed with a pointer to determine angular rotation of said tip.

7. An evacuator comprising a tip according to claim 1, a tube, means connecting one end of said tube to said means for attachment of said tip, a transparent jar, an apertured cover for said jar, the end of said tube opposite said tip extending through said cover into said jar, a vacuum pump, means driving said pump, a second tube connecting the suction end of said pump to said jar, and means in said jar to trap in said jar matter evacuated by said tip.

8. An evacuator according to claim 7 which further comprises a second jar interposed between said first-mentioned jar and said pump.

9. An evacuator according to claim 7 in which a duplicate jar is provided for alternate use with said first-mentioned jar, a second cover, a clamp connected to said covers for alternation of said first-mentioned and second covers with said jars.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 920,459 5/1909 Hamilton 128-277 1,245,845 11/1917 White 128-278 2,458,305 1/1949 Sanders 128-348 2,715,899 8/1955 MacLean 128-304 XR LAWRENCE W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 128350 

